


Old Feuds

by Blue_Sparkle



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Arranged Marriage, Human AU, Humour, M/M, Other, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29022000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Sparkle/pseuds/Blue_Sparkle
Summary: Fed up with the old Feud between Ri family and Fundin, Thorin decrees that they should finally make up, by any means necessary. If this means marrying off the second sons of each, then so be it.Nori only remembers Dwalin as a moody teenager and is less than pleased with the situation...
Relationships: Dwalin/Nori (Tolkien)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 34





	Old Feuds

**Author's Note:**

> Arranged Marriage, Medieval AU - to End a feud
> 
> This is a prompt fic, set vaguely in 9th century England. Nori is afab and gender fluid, because its my party and I project how I want

Nori couldn’t help but growl at the polished metal of his reflection, baring his teeth as his mother lovingly attached beautiful brooches to the bodice of his dress. It was the good stuff, the actual real silver, the stuff that Kori kept in perfect condition and rarely ever pulled out, as it was one of the most precious things the entire family owned. 

“My starlight, you look so wonderful,” Kori sighed, stepping back to admire her second child. 

At his mother’s praise Nori’s lips twitched into half a smile, less of a snarl than he felt like. His mother was the one who he could never stay fully mad at, even when he was being sold off to some Maker damned brute because their thrice cursed families couldn’t get their shit together for one minute and now even the King had lost his patience and-

A sharp tug on his hair made Nori let out a hiss, and he twisted around to shoot an angry glare at his brothers. Ori’s eyes widened in worry and he nearly dropped his comb, while Dori just shot Nori a dry look, immediately singled out as the culprit. He was still holding a braid in his soft hands. 

If it weren’t for the presence of their mother in this very room…

“To think that the King himself will officiate,” Kori went on, blissfully ignoring the brewing potential of fratricide among her children. “I don’t think we had so fine a guest since your great grandparents were alive…”

Nori listened to his mother go on about the good old days, when the Ri Lords still held any real power in Jorvic, let alone anywhere outside the region. They were barely worth anything now, their lands pitiful, their riches only whatever they had retained from a better time. What little renown they still had was on shaky legs, what with that Maker damned feud Nori wasn’t even sure anyone remembered the true origins of. 

If one believed Dori, some cousin of the King once insulted the honour of their ancestor, causing an ongoing feud. If one believed uncle Sori (which Nori tended to do), then a King’s cousin drunkenly called the Ri family the descendants of a king’s whore (rightfully so) which then had lead to said descendant to throw a full flask of wine at their head. The rest was history. 

And from what little Nori knew of his future husband, screams and wasted alcohol thrown at each other’s heads would be the least of what he had to look forward to. Honestly, who’s damn idea had it been-

“I am certain the King will be pleased by your agreement to this,” Dori said, half a threat, as he tied off the intricate braids he’d woven into Nori’s hair. “This silly tiff has bothered nobody more than his Highness.”

Nori suppressed an urge to roll his eyes, fully aware of Dori’s admiration for Balin son of Fundin, and heir to the man Sori had antagonized all his life. If uncle Sori hadn’t ventured out for some good old fashioned poaching, and if Fundin hadn’t been such a stickler for rules, then maybe the fight wouldn’t have escalated to the point of Thorin Oakenshield yelling at everyone to get their shit together and fix it. It just so happened that nobody had tried forcing a time out via marriage. And since Nori and Fundin’s other son, Dwalin, were unmarried…

It really wasn’t any wonder. The last time Nori had seen Dwalin they had barely entered adolescence. Dwalin had already been too tall, too broad, too brutish. A boorish horrible young man, sticking to the then prince Thorin like some overly obsessed bulldog, unaware of his own strength. He’d been dull and stupid and hadn’t quite grown into his freakish size. How anyone expected Nori to be peaceful around him, was beyond him. If nobody else had deigned to marry the man, then Nori really wasn’t the candidate to endure it. 

Happy with the preparations Kori finally stepped back, looking at Nori with a smile, then hugging him close. 

“Follow as soon as you are ready. I shall go and inform his Highness that we’re ready for the ceremony.” 

Kori left her children behind in the room as she hurried out, leaving Dori to glare at Nori, no doubt expecting him to misbehave, and Ori looking up with eyes wide. 

“Would it truly be so bad to marry Lord Dwalin?” he asked, tugging at his sleeves nervously. 

Nori regarded his younger brother with a quiet sigh. 

“I suppose I can endure that oaf a bit for our family’s sake.”

Dori took Nori’s elbow gently but firmly (as if expecting Nori to bolt for the window) and led his younger siblings out of the room. 

“Just try not to kill him in the first week,” Dori muttered. He’d voiced concerns about Nori’s character being suited for making peace between the two families before, but had agreed in the end. 

The great hall had been decorated lavishly, befitting a wedding attended by the King himself, all taken care of by Nori’s future in-laws. 

Thorin stood at the throne that normally would be Sori’s seat, but was rarely used to begin with. It wasn’t like the Ri family had much opportunity to host any kind of feast. Nori approached with a sharp little smile, eyes on the King and only barely glancing towards his in-laws. They were easy to spot, Fundin as always the tallest in the room, and his wife, Lawara, an exceptionally short woman with beautiful dark skin and hair, a smile in her eyes at all times. 

Despite the joyful occasion Thorin sported a look befitting the underlying situation. He had the air of a long suffering ruler about him, glad to finally put an end to the bickering and senseless animosity between the family of his best friend and Nori’s. 

Dori let go of Nori the moment he was in front of the entire Hall, all eyes on him. Nowhere left to go, if Nori decided to leg it once he saw Dwalin. Speaking of which…

“I greet you, Nori, child of Kori.”

Nori looked up at the tall man before him, mouth open to shoot back a barely polite reply, when his words got stuck on his tongue. 

The man before him was tall, taller even than Fundin. He was bearded, his dark hair standing in a tall crest and falling over his shoulders in a simple braid. He was broad, two axes that were definitely not decorative strapped to his belt and his armour made from fine leather and metal, fur lining his coat… His face looked as if the Maker himself had chiselled it from stone, cut through with scars, and two steel grey eyes focusing intently on Nori, vaguely familiar in their sharpness and…

Oh fuck, that was his future husband alright. 

Nori barely caught himself in time to return the bow. 

“Lord Dwalin.”

Why had nobody thought fit to inform him that the terrible adolescent Nori remembered had… well… grown up. 

“Are you two ready to get this done?” Thorin asked, quietly enough that only Nori and Dwalin would hear. 

“Of course,” Dwalin said, as Nori just nodded. 

Dwalin was still looking at him, brow slightly furrowed as he was assessing what he saw, but a glint of appreciation was definitely there. Good. 

Nori ignored the presence of her older brother and gave Dwalin an obvious once over, grin turning sharper. To his delight Dwalin’s cheeks flushed slightly before he finally looked away. 

From the corner of his eye Nori could already see Dori’s expression as he sensed the impending change of potential misbehaviour. 

With a barely concealed smirk Nori turned to listen to Thorin address the guests, shifting subtly closer to Dwalin. Now that his main objection to the marriage had been resolved, it surely wouldn’t be too much of a hardship to help out their families.


End file.
